In ancestral times referred to by the Ktunaxa as the animal world there were references made many times by the creator to when there will be people. At that time there was some disturbance caused by the sea monster who killed many of the animals.

A council was called by the chief animal the giant. It was decided that the sea monster had to be destroyed. The sea monster was sited in the Columbia Lake near Canal Flats and the chase was on. At that time the Kootenay River and the Columbia lake were joined.

As the chase proceeded giant gave names to many locations along the Kootenay river, Kootenay lake, Arrow lakes and the Columbia river. The sea monster was pursued down the Kootenay river past the Wasa slews now called Wasa BC.

Coyote got into trouble here when he fell into the river and had to be rescued by Wasa. The chase went by where the St Mary's river empties into the Kootenay river where the St. Mary's reserve is now located.

Then on down river to a spring where weasel joined the war party. There were animals on both sides of the river as the chase continued and among the party was a parasite who had to be carried on the backs of other animals.

He was mean and bossy. The other animals grew tired of his nagging and dumped him into the river at a place now known as where the parasite was dumped into the river. The chase continues leaving the land of the eagle and into the land of the wood tick past Waldo then on past the now 49th parallel and then past Turtle now underwater near Rexford, Montana.

The chase went on by Jennings and on by Libby then into the land of the Kootenay. Coyote, past Bonners Ferry, Idaho, then northerly past the now international boundary into the land of the Wolverine, past Creston, BC, then up the Kootenai Lake, past Kuskanook, BC.

The chase went on by Akokli Creek, past Sanca Creek. The monster chose to follow the Kootenai River past Nelson, BC. The chase was now in the land of the chickadee. The chase carries on through Atholmere, then past Windermere, BC, past Windermere Lakes, then back into the Columbia Lake, at Canal Flats, BC.

This completed the cycle of the chase. A little old man told Giant, You are wasting your time and energy chasing the sea monster. Why not use your size and strength and with one sweep of your arm block the river from flowing into the lake? And the next time the monster enters the lake you will have him trapped.

Giant took the advice of the little old man and did as he was told. The next time sea monster entered the lake he was trapped. Having successfully corralled sea monster a decision had to be made as to whom the honour of killing the monster would be bestowed upon. The honour was awarded to red -headed woodpecker. When the monster was killed it was taken ashore and was butchered and distributed among the animals.

There remained only the innards and bones. The ribs were scattered throughout the region and now form the hoodoos seen throughout the area.